


Bounce

by StarMaamMke



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, bouncy house fun, was almost smutty but it's not smutty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-08 21:32:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12262476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarMaamMke/pseuds/StarMaamMke
Summary: Joyce misreads the situation. Jim decides to spice things up.





	Bounce

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ObeyDontStray](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObeyDontStray/gifts).



“Why would they have a bouncy house at one of --” Joyce paused and blushed as she looked around to make sure no one was listening “-- _ These _ parties?”

“More to the point, why are we at one of  _ these _ parties?” Jim asked, careful to not sound too hurt and accusatory with his tone. He and Joyce had been dating for approximately three months, things were fine - then, out of the blue, Key Party at Ted and Karen’s. Joyce had been coy and unsure sounding when she suggested it, the same tone someone would use after wrecking a car that did not belong to them. He agreed to go, rationalizing that, if it made Joyce happy, it would make him happy. 

They dressed in their Sunday Best, not exactly certain of what the dress code for a partner swap should be, and made their way to the Wheeler’s for what Jim was certain would be an interesting gathering if nothing else. 

There were about six other couples at the party, none of which Joyce and Jim were acquainted with - which, honestly, was a blessing for both of them. When they arrived, they hovered at the entryway, exchanging glances, willing the other to made the first move - a fishbowl sat on a wooden pedestal, taunting Jim with its bounty of keys. 

_ One of these keys belongs to the man who is gonna fuck your girlfriend,  _ a treacherous inner-voice gloated.  _ Think they can make her scream? _

“Oh my god; what if it’s Ted?” Joyce squeaked as Jim’s fist hovered over the fish bowl, keys to the Blazer in his clutches. He put his hand down without making the drop. 

“Is there someone else you’d rather have it be?” Jim asked gruffly, scrutinizing every passably attractive male face in the room. Was someone more fit? Less awkward and lumbering?  Maybe without a ‘fivehead’ as Lonnie Byers used to call Jim’s large forehead when they were all in school together.

Joyce let out a soft gasp and jerked her head to look up at Jim, her large brown eyes were wide and her soft mouth was slightly agape as she furrowed her brow at the question. “What?”

“Would you only be disappointed if it was Ted?” Jim pressed on, his voice going slightly above the discreet whisper they had previously been employing. Joyce had, after all, completely ignored his question of why they were wasting a perfectly good, childless, Saturday night indulging in… whatever this was the Wheeler’s enjoyed. Maybe she did know someone at the party, maybe this was something she planned. A blameless little fling to pass the time she was wasting with him. He didn’t blame her, he simply wanted to know.

Jim didn’t know what to expect as a response, but he certainly didn’t expect said response to be her storming away, through the open front door. “Hey!” he called after her. When she kept walking, he followed. “Joyce, come on! Let’s just go inside.”

“No. This was a stupid idea.”

Oh, thank God. “Yes --” Jim caught Joyce’s arm before she opened the passenger-side door to his truck, pulling her back to him. She was tense as a drum, all trembling muscle and no give, her arms dangling at her sides as he embraced her. “-- I agree. It’s a stupid idea. Why did you insist on it?”

Joyce squirmed until he released her. Her expression was one of outraged astonishment. “Isn’t this what you do?”

“I beg your -”

“You like variety, don’t you?”

“Joyce, I -”

“A different girl every night, that sort of thing? Aren’t you bored with just me?”

Holy shit. 

Jim took a huge, gulping breath and puffed out his cheeks, unsure of how to respond.  _ Had  _ that been what he did? Yes, but the operative word was ‘did’ not ‘do’. It never occurred to him to so much as nod at another woman once Joyce had been foolish enough to take him up on that first date offer. He’d been pretty clear about the fact that he was a one-woman man, or so he thought. Had she found his porn stash? Because that was supposed to be gathering dust under his bed. Had he talked too long to Marissa the day he and Joyce went to the library to pick out beach reads? What had he…

“What exactly did I do to give you that impression?” he finally ground out, after realizing her assumption had kind - no,  _ really _ \- pissed him off. 

Joyce’s eyes went to the ground, studying the pointed toes of her black high-heels as she gave a soft sigh. “Nothing,” she finally admitted in a small voice. “I didn’t want you to get bored so I thought of th-this as a-a - ugh! - a preliminary spicing up.”

“A ‘preliminary spicing up’? Joyce are you -...” Jim didn’t want to say ‘crazy’. That was a forbidden word between them, and always would be if he wanted to stay in her good graces. “Jesus Fuck, Joycie,” he cursed, softly. He cupped her face between his hands, gently forcing her gaze upwards. “You used my own handcuffs on me after our third date. You’re plenty spicy, sweetheart.” 

As she blushed and smiled against his touch, he recalled the bouncy house in the Wheeler’s backyard. “Come here,” he urged, taking Joyce’s hand and leading her down the driveway and around the house to the backyard. The vinyl house loomed large, castle-like, with bright-yellow turrets rising above a square red base - the inside was dark and empty, slightly obscured through the netting that surrounded it. The night breeze blew into the backyard, rocking the structure to-and-fro and causing the net curtains to sway gently. 

“I spy a vacancy,” Jim announced, pulling Joyce towards the gaudy, inflated palace. 

“What?” Joyce gasped. She didn’t stop following him, and when he paused to turn and wink, she gave an incredulous giggle. “Are you…?”

“I mean, what the hell is it here for anyway? I know it’s a sex party, but come on; is Ted taking his date in here?” Jim let go of Joyce’s hand to crawl through the curtain. He turned back to wave her in. 

Joyce put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes, her lips pursed to one side and her eyes on the verge of rolling. “Shouldn’t we leave it alone then? Ted might really want to plow that icy blonde in here. You could be ruining his fun.”

“I don’t care about Ted’s fun. The only person I want plowed in here is you.” He took a moment to think about his words. “By me, I mean.”

Joyce sighed and crawled in after him. “I know what you meant, you du-” 

Jim cut her off by pulling her into his lap for a kiss. The surface shifted under his weight and hers, throwing him off balance and sending him sprawling backwards with Joyce on top. She immediately dissolved into helpless laughter against his shoulder. 

“Hey…” Jim protested before finding her mirth irresistible and joining in. He wrapped his arms around her. 

“C-can y-you imagine… Ted b-bringing…” Joyce couldn't finish, her howls were choking her like sobs and she had to roll onto her back to draw breath. 

“Seemed like a good idea at-"

“It really isn't, Hop!” Joyce rose up on shaky legs. “Now let's go -" she lost her balance and fell on top of him again. 

_ HONEY, SOMEONE IS USING MY BOUNCY HOUSE!  _

Joyce was almost screaming with laughter when Ted’s outraged cry broke through the darkness. 

“Shit, let's go!” Jim swore, pushing Joyce off of him and grabbing her hand so they could scoot towards the exit.


End file.
